Strengthening Rural Communities – Prepare & Recover

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after the disaster.

Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives to strengthen the capacity and capability of local people, organisations, networks, and systems that help communities to be informed, skilled, connected and resourced for the future.

Specifically, SRC Prepare & Recover will support communities impacted by the following disasters:

  • 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires;
  • 2021 QLD floods;
  • 2021 NSW floods;
  • 2021 WA Tropical Cyclone Seroja; and
  • 2022 flood events across NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC.

Please check the full guidelines for specific eligible locations listed by local Government Area. If you believe that you are in a disaster impacted community that is not listed, please call us on 1800 170 020 to discuss. If your project does not relate to these specific natural disasters, please complete an SRC Small & Vital or SRC Rebuilding Regional Communities application.

Future rounds

Round 18
Opens: 1 June 2023
Closes: 31 August 2023
Funding announced by end December 2023

Round 17 now open

Applications close 5pm VIC time (AEST) 31 May 2023

Funding announced by late September 2023

View Grantseeker Workshop recording (Sept 2021)

Recipient Announcements

Explore other streams in the Strengthening Rural Communities program:

How to apply for SRC Prepare & Recover

Please read the information on each of the three tabs below to make sure this is the right grant for your project.

If you want to explore other grant options, please go to Find Funding Now.


I have a question, who can I talk to?

Our state-based Grants Officers are your go-to people for any program related queries for the SRC program.

  • QLD / NT / WA: Lisa Mahon
  • NSW / ACT: Jaclyn Troy
  • VIC / TAS / SA: Vivienne McCrory

Ph: 1800 170 020 or Email: info@frrr.org.au

Confirm you are eligible to apply for this grant

To make sure this is the right grant for your community, please read the grant information detailed in the Program Guidelines below carefully. Click on each headline to reveal the detail. If you need to share this information with others, you can download the guidelines below.

Gather information to support your grant application

Please read the information below to support the planning and preparation of your project. It also sets out what you MUST include for your project to be considered. There are plenty of helpful resources to support you along the way.

Please contact FRRR if you have any questions about the following information.

Your grant application MUST include:

Need some more help?

We have a large selection of resources on our Grantseeker Resources page to help you along the way.

Submit your grant application via the Grants Gateway

Applications for all streams close 5pm VIC time (AEST), 31 May 2023.

Please contact FRRR if you have questions about any aspect of the Grants Gateway online application form.

Helpful resources:

It is time to submit your application. If it is helpful, you can download a sample copy of the application form.

Please read the instructions on how to use the Grants Gateway How-to Guide and have your questions answered with our Grants Gateway FAQs.

Before you submit your application via the online Grants Gateway, please ensure you have:

  • confirmed you are eligible to apply for this grant
  • provided clear information about your project
  • checked that you are an eligible legal entity
  • provided the financial information required
  • created a budget for the project
  • gathered supporting materials
  • spoken to an FRRR contact person where you were unsure of any requirement
  • gathered community support for the project
  • checked the information you are providing to make sure it is clear and relevant to the project

If you have significant issues accessing a stable internet connection, please contact our team to discuss an alternative way of applying:
Ph: 1800 170 020 or Email: info@frrr.org.au

“FRRR’s grant application was clearly set out, staff were friendly and helpful when I had a few questions, and the whole process was easily achievable. We are grateful for the opportunity to receive funding to improve Adavale Lane Community Centre so it can be accessed and used for the benefit of our whole community.”

Danielle Diener, Secretary – Adavale Lane Community Centre Incorporated, SRC R9

Inspiration – Past projects

Explore some of the projects we’ve previously funded to see how other organisations have helped their community thrive.

Volunteers and community members at a canteen at a rodeo in Buchan

Building Buchan’s resilience through rodeo

A $25,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by the Firefight Australia Fund, enabled the Buchan Rodeo Committee to stage the highly successful Buchan Rodeo, which has been a highlight of the local event calendar for more than 50 years.

The rodeo was an opportunity for the East Gippsland community in Victoria to come together after the bushfire crisis which threatened the community for more than four months, and led to the cancellation of the 2020 rodeo.

Making a difference in Port Macquarie

Make a Difference Port Macquarie (MAD PMQ) is a local support agency helping their community respond to the effects of cumulative disasters. However, their fundraising efforts have been severely hampered by COVID-19 restrictions, which had a massive impact on revenue and their ability to support the community. 

MAD PMQ received a $25,000 grant through the SRC program, funded by the Sidney Myer Fund, to expand their services to vulnerable and homeless people in the community, particularly those affected by the 2019/20 bushfires.

Women standing around a tree doing yoga

Community wellbeing retreats aid recovery

The Jindivick Progress Association developed an initiative to address the long-term effects of stress and grief that had plagued the local community since it was adversely affected by the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

They received a $14,750 Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) grant, funded by VBAF, to run a series of five community wellbeing retreats that supported the health and psychological wellbeing of residents in the fire-affected communities of Jindivick, Labertouche and Drouin West. 

Disaster preparedness workshops for FNQ

Through a $25,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, the Tablelands Regional Council has supported its community with disaster management and preparedness workshops, in partnership with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Thanks to the support of a private donor, the workshops have enabled residents to better prepare before and during disasters and provided valuable ideas to help families, homes and businesses recover from adversity.

Perpetual power for Tarana’s bushfire brigade

The 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfires highlighted that losing power to brigade sheds is a barrier to emergency services being as responsive as needed.

With a $25,000 grant from the Volunteer Emergency Services Fund, generously funded by a private donor, the Tarana Volunteer Bushfire Brigade, on the NSW Central Tablelands, has installed a solar powered battery backup system for their shed.

Man sitting on steps and women standing beside flag banners that say Granite Belt Art Trail

Stanthorpe art event fights social isolation

A $20,000 Tackling Tough Times Together grant, funded by the Australian Government allowed the management committee of the Granite Belt Art and Craft Trail to go ahead with the highly anticipated annual culture and tourism event, Open Studio.

The grant covered the major costs in putting on the event, which helped to bring visitors back to the town, and was a welcome boost to the local economy which had felt mounting stress from recent disasters including severe drought and bushfires.

Proudly supported by

This program is collaboratively and generously supported by the following donors:

  • ALS Limited
  • AMP Foundation
  • Arthur Laundy
  • ATS Charitable Foundation (Perpetual)
  • Australian Community Media – South Coast is Calling Initiative
  • Australian Philanthropic Services
  • Barker Trailers
  • Bowness Family Foundation
  • Brasher Family Foundation
  • Brian and Margaret Baker Foundation
  • Broomhead Family Foundation
  • CBH Group
  • Center for Disaster Philanthropy
  • Charter Hall
  • Chefs on the Run
  • Dawkins Family Gift
  • Fire Fight Australia Fund
  • Frasers Property Foundation
  • Friends of FRRR
  • Gilbert + Tobin
  • GlobalGiving
  • Graf Family Foundation
  • Herbert Smith Freehills
  • IKEA Australia
  • Jack Brockhoff Foundation
  • Jeunesse Kids Foundation
  • John T Reid Charitable Trusts
  • Macdoch Foundation
  • Morris Family Foundation
  • Newcrest Sustainability Fund
  • News Corp Australia
  • Nutrien Ag Solutions
  • Paul Ramsay Foundation
  • Pepper Australia
  • Percy Baxter Charitable Trust
  • Pinnacle Charitable Foundation
  • Portland House Foundation
  • Raine & Horne Foundation
  • Reddrop Group
  • Sally White OAM
  • Stockland CARE Foundation
  • Suncorp
  • Tabcorp Holdings Ltd
  • Telstra Foundation
  • The Baker Foundation
  • The Calvert-Jones Foundation
  • The Laneway Festival
  • The Pratt Foundation
  • Tim Fairfax AC
  • Transgrid
  • Unusual Entertainment Pte Ltd
  • Vicinity Centres
  • The Waislitz Family Foundation, in partnership with Australian Community Media
  • Westpac Group
  • Wilson Asset Management
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